A resident of the 1100 block of South Maple heard the deafening crash of lighting Sunday evening as a heavy thunderstorm passed through the Chicago area on Sunday evening.
She thought her house had been hit, but soon realized it was her neighbor’s, said Oak Park Deputy Fire Chief Peter Pilafas.
The Oak Parker called 911 at 6:42 p.m., and firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 20 minutes, Pilafas said.
The residents of the single-story residence were not home when the fire broke out, and no injuries were reported, said Pilafas, noting that the fire, which originated in the attic of the building, was possibly caused by a lightning strike.
The Sunday evening fire was the only report of weather-related fires in the area, Pilafas said.
“The structure wasn’t a total loss,” he said, though the fire reportedly caused extensive damage to the attic.
Pilafas described it as a “full-still” fire, which triggered assistance from the Forest Park Fire Department.
CONTACT: tim@oakpark.com
